The present invention relates to a connector socket for connecting electronic components. In particular, the present invention relates to a connector socket in which a plurality of plug insertion openings are arranged together.
Connector sockets for audio-visual equipment can be formed with a plurality of plug insertion openings so that a plurality of media devices, e.g., a plurality of VCRs, can be connected in parallel.
Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a conventional connector socket comprises a molded block A formed by injection molding an insulating resin. Two plug insertion openings C1, C2 are formed on the surface of molded block A to allow insertion of plugs b1 of connector plugs B1, B2. A shield case D, formed by bending a thin metal plate into a box shape, covers the front surface, the side surfaces, and the upper surface of molded block A to shield the inside of the connector socket from external magnetic fields and electric fields. A plurality of pin slots E are formed in the back of molded block A. A plurality of connector pins F1, F2, F3, F4, are fitted into pin slots E using, for example, a fitting device (not shown). Connector pins F1, F2, F3, F4 are preferably stamped from a thin metal plate.
Connector pins F1, F2, F3, F4 are formed roughly in the shape of an "L". A connection end f1 projects inside the corresponding plug insertion opening C1, C2. An external connection end f2, extending perpendicular from connection end f1, passes through corresponding pin slot E, through the bottom surface of molded block A and through openings in a printed circuit substrate G. External connection ends f2 are soldered to a conductive body g1 of printed circuit substrate G.
A surface shield piece dl of shield case D is formed with two plug windows H1, H2, which correspond to plug insertion openings C1, C2. The side surfaces and the upper surface of molded block A are covered by side shield pieces d2, d3 and top surface shield piece d4, which are bent at right angles from surface shield piece d1.
Thus, with the structure of this conventional connector socket, connector pins F1, F2, F3, F4 must be produced in four different shapes. This increases the expense necessary for producing the dies for connector pins F1, F2, F3, F4 and a large number of steps is involved in insertion using the fitting device. This results in high production costs.
In the connector socket shown in FIG. 5, connector pins F1, F2, F3, F4 having different shapes are used for each of plug insertion openings C1, C2. External connection ends f2 of connector pins F1, F2, F3, F4, which are connected to printed circuit substrate G, are arranged so that they are separated by a very small pitch. This makes it possible for adjacent external connection ends f2 to become short-circuited when a conductive body gI of printed circuit substrate G is being soldered to external connection end f2.